Whatever the correct terminology, three adorable little piglets bred as specialty pets were born on St. Patrick’s Day to local breeders Sarah Canfield, 19, and Maegan Spina, 23.

The piglets, when full grown, will measure from 30 centimetres to 40 centimetres and weigh between 11 and 27 kilograms.

The sisters-in-law own The Little Pig Farm Ontario, the first Canadian subsidiary of the U.K-based Little Pig Farm’s Mini Pet Pigs.

Spina said their new venture came as the result of the pair’s desire to start a local petting zoo.

“We love animals and wanted to educate kids about all types of animals,” Spina said.

Canfield, who lives on a farm with her parents, has owned a pot-bellied pig, emus, ponies, goats, chickens, cows and bunnies, while Spina owns horses, chickens, snakes and cats and breeds bearded dragons.

While researching exotic animals online for the petting zoo, the women ran across a woman named Jane Croft, owner of Little Pig Farm’s Mini Pet Pigs and author of a book about the animals, and realized the potential market for pet pigs.

Pigs, who Canfield said particularly enjoy belly rubs, are extremely intelligent, hypoallergenic, easy to train and can be litter-box trained.

“They are extremely clean,” Canfield explained. “People think they are dirty because they roll in the mud. They roll in mud to maintain their temperature.”

While Canfield said pigs get along with cats and dogs, they are unlike their feline and canine equivalents.

“They are very humanistic,” she said. “Pigs are very independent. They are more like a friend than a kid.”

While there is a commercial food for pet pigs, the pair feed their piglets a mixture of horse feed, rabbit pellets, vegetables, nuts and seeds, as well as the occasional egg.

After the animal lovers became intrigued with micro-pigs, they bought the business rights and breeding stock that included two micro pot belly cross sows and a mini-micro boar named Cooper.

The piglet’s mother, Jetta, who weighed 12 kilograms before her pregnancy, gave birth after a full term of three months, three weeks and three days.

Canfield said she discovered the newborn piglets in their stall Saturday afternoon and quickly realized the mother was rejecting them.

“She didn’t want anything to do with them,” she said.

The first-time breeders called overseas for advice from Croft, who instructed the pair to sedate the mother and place some of the placenta from the mother on her babies.

After a quick trip to the vet with the mother pig, the women watched in amazement as the mother fed her piglets and bonded with them.

“It was magical,” Spina said. “Their bellies got full instantly. It was amazing. She just nursed them all night and they slept.”

The two women said they even slept overnight in the barn Sunday with the sow and piglets to ensure their mother was caring for the piglets.

The piglets will be eligible for adoption at eight weeks and come with a price tag of $2,500.

Spina said birth certificates and care sheets are given to new owners and a 24-hour helpline is provided.

Spina said many municipalities have a bylaw regarding pigs, so would-be owners would have to inquire about exceptions to the bylaw for pet pigs before purchasing one.

For more information about purchasing a micro-pig contact Spina at 519-539-7422.